Struggle, Fall & Rise
by Persephone Summerwick
Summary: Set a year after the "no-magic" spell in Mystic Falls. Caroline and Stefan are trying to start anew in a different town, but come across their own troubles. When they encounter a nest of religious vampires desperate to fulfill a prophecy, fitting in may be a challenge.
1. On the Job

**A/N: Okay, so I know I'm not the only anxious Steroline stan *patiently* waiting for season 6. Okay, maybe not so much patient. Anyway, I can't wait so here's my own idea of how it could go in an all-Steroline spin. Thanks for reading!**

**Basically, Stefan and Caroline have relocated after Mystic Falls' demise and the "death" of Bonnie and Damon.**

* * *

_ One year after the "no-magic" cloaking of Mystic Falls…_

Stefan felt out of place in the crowded club, the smell of sweat and arousal from the grinding bodies clogging his sensitive vampiric senses. He sat on a barstool, listening to a vivacious brunette drone about her best friends depression. He found the speck of dust floating above the bar more interesting than what this woman had to say, but he knew he had to endure this torture for only a few more minutes. He'd experienced much worse torment in his immortal life, but at the moment couldn't comprehend a worse position to be in than the one he was caught in. He was so bored that he almost forgot to chime into the conversation.

"Maybe you could introduce Farrah to me!" He tried to approach the topic as if it were an idea he just came up with. "You say she just had a bad breakup, maybe the best thing for her right now is to have someone remind her how special she is."

The almond-haired woman appeared skeptical. "I don't know..," she tapped her red lips with the straw of her drink. "She's so depressed. He _cheated _on her, you know."

"Yeah, you did mention that." '_A few hundred _times', he wanted to add.

"Okay, I'll let you meet her," she paused for a beat, pointing her straw at him in accusation, "but if you try to take advantage of her so help me god."

Stefan ignored the splash of alcohol that struck him in the face when she drunkenly wagged her straw at him. "I wouldn't do that," he said sincerely.

"Good, just let her know how gorgeous she is." The brunette scanned the crowd for her lost friend. "Oh, there she is!" Stefan followed her line of sight to a redhead, bumping into people on the dance floor with a glass of spilling alcohol, shouting and dancing on the verge of what some would call "completely wasted". Stefan's face twisted in misfortune.

Seeing his reaction, the brunette hopped off her seat. "I'm going to take her to the bathroom to get cleaned up, and then I'll bring her back over. You wait right here!" She slapped him on the knee playfully, leaving him in a cloud of confusion as she jogged toward Farrah, who was now hugging an employee.

Stefan sighed heavily, dropping the façade with a sag of his shoulders. He turned his head slightly, his eyes peering at a blonde leaning against a marble pillar with a martini in-hand.

"Caroline, can you hear me?" He spoke quietly to himself.

The blonde's ears perked up as her vampire hearing picked up on his whispering. "Just barely, this place is louder than any lounge in Mystic Falls." She sipped her apple martini, observing the dance floor before returning her eyes to the bar Stefan sat at.

He chortled, "I wouldn't call this a lounge. Do you see anyone lounging? Does lounging normally smell this awful?"

"You smell it too!? I think it's Captain B.O. in the center of the dance floor." She acknowledged the sweaty man with a tilt of her head.

There was a large man with pools of sweat under his arms, draped by two older women. He appeared to be having the time of his life, unseeing of the laughing young-adults dancing near him.

Stefan shook his head at Caroline with a smirk. "Be nice; you know why we're here."

" - To compel Charlie's now ex-girlfriend into forgetting that he cheated on her and that she dumped his deceitful ass?" she paused before starting up again, " – which by the way I am totally against."

"We don't have a choice, Care, it's the only way he'll 'look the other way' when we steal blood bags from the hospital. This isn't Mystic Falls, this is a major city and when things start going missing people start asking questions. We need someone on the inside to help us out now and then."

Caroline scoffed, "And that brings me to my next topic. Why is half the hospital staff on vervain?"

"Caroline, stop finding things to nit-pick at."

"I'm not nit-picking! I'm just… hypercriticizing. I miss Mystic Falls and this martini is bringing it out of me," she confessed as she took another large sip.

"So stop drinking!"

"_Shhhh, _Penny is coming back with Farrah."

Instead of panicking as she was, he simply smirked, still staring at her.

"_Stefan!_ It's not going to look very good if you're staring at another girl." She snapped her fingers at him.

"You're not a girl, your Caroline." He could see her roll her eyes. "Okay, back to business I suppose… I like the dress by the way."

A blush crept its way onto the blonde's cheeks and she quickly shied her head away in embarrassment. Caroline flattened her free hand over her silk scarlet dress before whispering to herself, "_I knew he'd like it._ Shows what little Ms. 'Sales Rep.' knows."

"Farrah, this is Stefan. I just met him a little while ago."

Farrah was a complete train wreck. Her eyes were bloodshot, hair tousled and eyes smeared with dripping mascara. Stefan could relate to her situation. Break-ups weren't easy, especially when someone else was chosen over you by the one you love. He'd been there tenfold.

"Are you a doctor?" She slurred.

"No, honey he's not a doctor… But Charlie isn't either, remember? That was one of the things we put on the 'reasons you don't need Charlie' list, remember? He's just some silly scrub."

"He's not a scrub." Farrah glared. "I think he's a nurse; something important like that."

"What do _you_ do for a living?" Stefan cut in. This was going nowhere and he wasn't going to be able to compel Farrah with Penny right there.

"I work at Victoria's Secret. I'm almost the manager."

"Almost?" Stefan's eyes knitted together in confusion.

"Yep," she didn't elaborate. "Hey, I like your muscles." She reached over and made herself busy squeezing his upper arms. He was too polite to pull away, but every muscle in his face was strained with tension.

"This is getting us nowhere," Caroline growled, heading for the bar with determination in her stride. She slapped her purse onto the bar beside the pair, gaining their attention.

Stefan did a double-take as he finally noticed her presence. "Car-…" he stopped himself before he could say her name. "_Can _I help you? – Is what I meant to say," he completed meekly.

Caroline leaned forward to stare into Penny's bright eyes. She immediately pulled the girl into a trance. "_Take a walk_."

Without question, Penny stood and walked away from them and toward the front entrance of the lounge.

"Hey, what –…" Farrah didn't have a chance to complete her question, as Stefan pulled her into his own eyes.

"_Charlie never cheated on you. You love him very much and you never broke up with him_."

"I love him very much," she re-stated mindlessly.

"_Now go to him_." The woman stood to walk away.

"Oh!" Caroline lurched in front of the woman, placing two hands on her shoulders to stop her. "Take a taxi." Farrah nodded, wandering for the same entrance as her friend had moments ago.

"Take a taxi?" Stefan reiterated.

"What? She was drunk." Caroline shrugged.

He shook his head but said nothing more on the subject, ending it with a smile. "What do you say we get out of here now? I'm getting tired of this loud atmosphere."

"Atmosphere? You mean the music?" She tilted her head. "If you can't appreciate dubstep, what _can _you appreciate?" She asked sarcastically.

"The day you enjoy this kind of music is the day I go surfing." They made their way toward the back entrance, slipping through it to make their way to Stefan's car.

"I'd like to see you surfing."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that," Stefan muttered unconvincingly.

"Why does every club have some grimy alley in the back? And why did we have to park next to it?"

"Tell me something, Caroline." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Why are you asking so many questions tonight?"

"I'm being rhetorical. You'd think someone as old as you could understand context," she teased with laughter in her voice.

From the end of the alley they were headed toward emerged two bulky men. They stopped just past the exit to block their leaving, shoulder to shoulder. Both Stefan and Caroline froze instantly, sensing the red flags of the situation.

"Who are you?" Stefan asked, taking a cautious step forward.

"You're on my territory, and that means you have to answer that question first." Both vampires turned around to see an attractive Italian man shadowed by a tall Hispanic woman exiting the club. "Any vampire that comes here has to see me before compelling in my establishment. _We saw what you did in there._"

"This club is yours?" Caroline queried.

"That's right baby girl, it's mine. It's our own little blood bank, but only to be used by me and mine." His pace slowed as he reached Stefan and Caroline. "You two got no business taking our blood."

"Hey, that's not what we were doing. Did you see us feeding on anyone?"

"We don't hurt people," Caroline agreed.

"Why did you compel Charlie's girlfriend to forget about their breakup?"

"You know Charlie?" Stefan narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Why do _you_ know Charlie?" Stefan and Caroline were silent. "You better start talking before I start cutting up some newbie vampires," he bared his teeth to them, the veins below his eyes bulging aggressively.

A few more of his "body guards" exited the club, moving past the tall woman to flank the club's owner in defense. Two of them held small axes.

"You don't wanna mess with us."

Stefan knew he was right. He didn't know how old these other vampires were or what their intentions were. They just needed to settle this dispute and be on their way. There was no room to make enemies in the town they'd just settled in. "We moved here last week."

"Stefan!" Caroline chided. She couldn't understand why he'd be truthful with these men that clearly couldn't be trusted.

"Shut that woman up before one of my boys does," he snarled.

"_Caroline_," Stefan snapped. For once, Caroline stopped talking.

"You." The man pointed at Stefan. "Tell me who you are and what your purpose is here."

"My name is Stefan, this is Caroline. We were just looking for a new start in a new town. We didn't and don't mean to cause any trouble. We had business with Charlie because he promised us access to blood bags if we did him a favor."

"That little son of a bitch is dead," the vampire roared. "He pledged loyalty to **US**!"

"Kane, please." The tall woman finally chimed in, pushing past the bodyguards to approach what Stefan could only assume was her boyfriend. "We'll talk to Charlie and see what he has to say first." She lowered her voice. "Remember the goal."

Kane nodded vigorously. "You're right, sweetheart." His eyes returned to Stefan, darting between the companions. "Leave now. Stir trouble around my property again and I'll kill you both. Stay away from Charlie, too." He nodded at the guards at the exit of the alley, and they cleared a path.

Stefan left no time for him to change his mind, snatching Caroline's hand and speed-running them both out of there.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for the first chapter. Review and/or follow if you wish. Thank you for taking the time to read it!**


	2. A Night Off

**A/N: Thank you for the support! Reviews mean the world to me, and I really appreciate the follows/favorites. I hope you enjoy the next installment. Sorry for the delay, but I had to write this whole thing with fake nails. What a pain. Writer out!**

* * *

"I love how your idea of 'off the radar' involves getting confronted by a bunch of Dracula-esque wannabe Lestat knock-offs." Caroline pulled two very hot mugs filled

with A-Positive from the microwave and placed one in front of Stefan. "98.6," she told him with a proud smirk on her face. "I finally figured out the perfect amount of

time to leave it in without any yucky coagulation or burning."

"And I'm very proud," Stefan joked with a laugh, a matching smile on his own lips. He took a small, cautionary sip. When there were no negative effects or unwanted

after-taste, he lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Okay, I really am impressed now."

"You're what - almost 180? And you never tried a microwave?"

"To be fair, the first microwave wasn't even invented until the 1940's. I may have tried it once or twice in the past but it never really..." he trailed off. "Why are we

talking about this?"

"Because you didn't believe I could make hospital blood taste good." She tilted her head a little. "Well, it's not exactly on the same level as the word 'good' but it's

definitely a step up from where it was." There was a drawn out silence as they sipped their drinks in peace. It wasn't long before Caroline felt the need to fill the quiet

with her voice. Stefan wasn't at all surprised. "Stefan, what do you think those vampires are up to?"

"If we were in Mystic Falls, it'd be as easy as asking around. Now we have no connections to ask about this Kane character and what his plans are." He eyed Caroline

in thought. "As far as he's concerned, we're a problem. We walked right in on what ever he was doing in that club."

"He said he owned it," Caroline mentioned. "That vampires weren't allowed to feed on his 'territory' without his consent. What's the point of that? He wants to feel like

he has power? Owning one tiny dive isn't 'power'."

"There's something else going on, but we're keeping our heads _down _until we have some reason to get involved."

His friend didn't look convinced. "You don't think Kane is going to get in our way? He already told us to stay away from Charlie. We compelled his poor girlfriend and he

_owes _us. Without those blood bags we'd have nothing. And we're almost out of what we have!"

"Look, we'll figure it out..." He attempted to calm her, as he could see she was only getting more anxious by the moment. The more she talked, the more in depth she

thought it through.

She went on, not even hearing him. "We'd be forced to either leave town or eat people! I'm tired of moving Stefan! Besides, we're renting out this house under your

family's name and money and there's a binding contract. We can't just pick up and leave." Her eyes were wild with panic. "What are we gonna do, Stefan!?"

"Caroline!" He jumped up from his seat and placed both hands on either shoulder. "You need to relax."

She blew out a breath of air. "You're right. I'm in control of my own emotions." Although she didn't sound very sure of herself, Stefan decided to drop the topic.

Unfortunately for him, she continued on. "Speaking of emotions, what's up with yours?"

He coughed, not expecting the question. "Sorry?" He was able to ask through his confusion.

"I don't mean to be so forward," she started nervously, "Actually I do. These last few months you've been very... _solid _and a tiny bit stoic and on the subject of

Damon's death."

Stefan could see where this was going and he didn't like it. If she couldn't already tell from his uncomfortably shifty body language he cleared his throat a few times

as a warning.

She continued as if she hadn't noticed, " - And I've given you time to be 'Mr. Closed Off' guy but if you keep all of it in you're just gonna end up exploding." She

shrugged. "Or in your case, go in to ripper-mode."

"Caroline, I don't wanna talk about this." He was calm but firm, arms crossed in a stubborn fashion.

"And that's fine." She moved closer to him, searching his soulful eyes for some kind of answer. "But why not?"

"Because then I'll..." Stefan found himself getting choked up, and he couldn't help but be angry with her for it. He didn't want to open up and he wasn't going to let

her worm inside his head or his heart. He bit down on his shaking lower lip in defiance.

"Stefan?" Caroline whispered softly.

He didn't respond, his eyes trained at the floor. He was trying to even his breathing, to swallow back the lump in his throat and not let his weakness show. It was

already so hard to ignore and he knew acknowledging it would only worsen the pain that was already there. If it only sometimes leaked to the surface, wasn't

it better to?

"_Hey._" She reached a hand forward, making an effort to cup his jaw. His hand snapped around her wrist instantly, stopping her mid-air. They stood frozen like that

while he found his voice.

"Don't." His eyes were shining. "Please."

Caroline didn't try to pull her hand away or even respond. The emotion on her face was growing by the second, and Stefan needed to get out of there before she

completely wore him down.

He dropped her hand and speed-ran out the front door.

Caroline finally dropped her guard, all but collapsing into the kitchen table's wooden chair. "_Way to go Caroline."_

* * *

"This is taking too much time!" Kane burst through the doors of his favorite psychic's room. He was so furious with her that he didn't hear her heavy exhale or

see the roll of her eyes as he came barreling in as if the room he'd given her was still his own. He pointed a finger at her aggressively. "You promised me you'd find

the woman from the prophecy."

"You look like something's on your mind," she taunted sarcastically. "Wanna talk about it?"

In a blur of motion his hand was wrapped around her neck and she was pressed against her own coffee table, knocking over a cup of herbal tea in the process.

"I am not messing around. I chose you above all of the other psychics at my disposal and you dare speak down to me? With the title I've given you as my right hand

lady? You bitch."

"I see-," she was attempting to speak through his tight clutching, gasping for air and choking as he squeezed. Seeing that she was near losing consciousness, he

released her. She threw a coughing fit, clutching her chest.

He gave her no time to catch up with herself. "Well?" He asked impatiently. "You were saying?"

"I saw something. When you touched me." She trailed her fingers over her throat. "I had a vision." She was speaking evenly, as if caught in a trance by a certain train

of thought.

"What is it Magdalen? What did you see?" He questioned quietly, his violent rage all but gone.

"The girl we've been searching for. The prophesied one." Her eyes lit up as they carefully met his. "You met her last night. In the alley of your club..." Magdalen touched

her rosy lips curiously and whispered silently to herself, "I can see it. She's the one."

Kane took a step backwards, allowing himself a long moment to think to himself. _What was her name...? Blonde, beautiful and perky. Anxious little girlfriend of the pest_

_from last night. But her name...?_

Kane's eyes widened as it hit him.

"_Caroline_."

* * *

Caroline decided to wait for him to return instead of going after him. He needed to cool off and she could understand that. In the meantime, she was left to stew in her

paranoid worries that maybe she'd pushed him too far; maybe he was more than a little upset. The impatient fear caused her to start stress cleaning, and when he

was gone for over an hour... drinking. It had started with one drink just to calm her nerves. After all, she couldn't be an apologetic-lunatic the moment he walked

through the door. One drink had turned into four glasses of Cranberry juice and vodka, and even though regret sat in after the third she still managed to go for more.

Now, she was having an awesome time. She was able to find a YouTube video of a cat that sounded like it was saying "hello"._  
_

A couple of minutes after that, she realized how pathetic she would look to any of her old high school friends. Sitting alone in a house, completely drunk and laughing

at cute videos on the internet. "No wonder Stefan left," she muttered. "He isn't coming back." Drunk and lonely, Caroline pulled her knees to her chest and had a good

cry.

It was in that moment that the front door quietly squeaked open, clunking as it was once again shut.

Hearing the crying to his left, Stefan immediately flicked on the floor-lamp illuminating the long couch Caroline was balled up on. Taken aback by what he was seeing,

he quickly moved to her. "_Whoa,_ whoa..Hey." He knelt on the floor in front of her, trying to get a look at her face. She had her hands covering her, embarrassed and

still upset. "What's going on, why are there tears?" Stefan rubbed his thumb along her wet cheek.

"I'm the most pathetic vampire," she sobbed.

"Look at me." He pulled her hands away as she shook her head. "Look at me, you are not pathetic. I don't ever want to hear you say that. You know how amazing you

are?" Smelling something strong, he leaned in and took a good whiff of her hair. "And _you're_ completely wasted."

"You left."

"Well I _came back!_" He spoke in a way that told Caroline she should have known he would. "You didn't really think I would just leave over some stupid disagreement?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just drunk and...paranoid."

Stefan rubbed the mascara off her cheek. "Let's get you up to bed, okay?"

"Okay..." She leaned on him as they made their way toward the stairs. "It's okay if you're mad at me. I was wrong to be the pushy queen of push town."

"You weren't pushing, you were supporting."

"Just like you're supporting me now!" Caroline indicated in the literal sense of the word, a smile cracking on her lips as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and

squeezed.

"Just like now," he mumbled into her hair.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for Chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed and review if you'd think it deserves one. Byebye for now!**


	3. Keeping up Appearances

**A/N: Thank you for your continued support! Reviews make my day! Here's chapter 3.**

* * *

"Just a minute!" Caroline shouted as she bounded down the steps wearily. She was hung over and completely exhausted, hair tussled and pajamas wrinkled against her skin. She peered out the window cautiously, as there was a possibility that Kane had located them and decided not to let them off as easy as he had the night before last.

She saw an older man, well-dressed with a big smile on his lips. This only made Caroline more wary of the stranger. Swinging the front door open, she gave him a good once-over.

"Hi!" He waved in a friendly manner.

"Look, if you're here to spread the word of Christ or whatever, you've _totally _got the wrong house."

"Ah…No." He pushed aside his confusion and outstretched one hand. "My name is Antony Miller, I live next door with my partner David." He gave Caroline's hand a healthy shake. "We saw you and that other guy moving boxes inside, welcome to the neighborhood."

"Oh, thank you… I'm Caroline. 'That other guy' is Stefan."

"We're throwing a little barbecue at noon and we'd love if you and your husband stopped by. It'd be a great opportunity for you to get to know your neighbors. Lots of them will be there."

"We're not married." she pressed firmly. "But we'll uh… think about coming by. Thanks."

"Okay, great! Tell your boyfriend I said hi." Without another word, he was headed back to his own home.

After watching him for another moment; Caroline huffed and retreated back inside, almost colliding with Stefan's chest.

"Jesus!" She placed a hand over her heart. "Thanks for that."

"Sorry, I thought you sensed me." He crossed his arms. "A barbecue, huh?"

"Yeah, but we're not actually going right?" His silence was deafening. "_Right?_"

"We really should go," he considered. "We need to keep up appearances, stay out of any town-gossip or suspicions."

"Stefan, _I _look like the phantom of the hangover. I can't go out like this."

"So go take a shower and get ready, we have some time." Stefan raised a brow as he got a good look at her pajamas. "Is that… drool?" He pointed at the wet spot on the collar of her shirt.

"_No_." She narrowed her eyes at him defensively, pushing past him and making her way upstairs. She slammed the bathroom door behind her, leaving her friend at the bottom of the steps smirking.

"It was drool," he decided with a laugh.

* * *

Magdalen shuddered as her hand dipped into the bowl of vampire blood placed in front of her. Her legs were folded neatly, eyes lightly closed as she muttered a Latin incantation under her breath.

"What is that she's doing?" Kane's closest friend, Belle whispered questioningly to a witch beside her.

Magdalen opened her eyes softly, still muttering as she pulled her bloody hand from the bowl and ran her hand across Kane's forehead. "_demonstra mihi adhuc vas_

"She's using the vampire blood as a conduit to link with Kane's memories in order to locate Caroline."

Belle shook her head in disbelief. "Witches."

Magdalen faded out all sound from the room, no longer hearing anything except the intrusion of Kane's mind, the blaring white noise that came with that extreme amount of absorption, draining her mentally and physically. She had to locate the girl soon, and the blood running out of her nose was further evidence of that.

Kane did not see, as his eyes were still closed, grunting as his brain burned and squeezed.

"Oh my god," Belle whispered under her breath. "She has to stop, she's going to get herself killed."

"She knows the limits of her powers, she'll be fine!" The witch snapped. "Just watch."

"_Demonstra mihi adhuc vas… demonstra mihi adhuc vas…_" Magdalen rocked back and forth on the floor, moaning in pain. Sweat ran down her forehead, her teeth clamped down on her lower lip and drawing blood.  
She suddenly gasped for air, swallowing as much as she could intake as her eyes shot open, completely black. Kane broke from his trance as the spell faded.

"Magdalen?" Kane forcefully called, grabbing her wrists. "Breathe."

As she finally calmed, her eyes brightened with newfound information as if she were enlightened by it. "I found her."

* * *

Stefan was hoping no one would realize the wrapped pan of cookies he was holding was store bought. Caroline only told him to go out and buy a dessert for the party while she took he sweet time getting ready, yet she still scolded him when she saw what he purchased. If she wanted him to get something specific, why not just say so?

Stefan shook his head. He would never truly understand her thought process. He placed the sheet of cookies on the end-table, adjusting his very "not-him" clothing; black jeans and a blue button-up. It was so very suburban.

A knock at the open-door drew his attention elsewhere. Caroline stood in the doorway, at last ready to leave. She wore a yellow sun-dress and a cotton white shawl, her hair gently waved and falling along her shoulders gracefully. Her lips were painted to perfection, sweetly simple and pink.

"You look gorgeous," Stefan complimented honestly. She always knew how to dress up, it was always part of her.

She laughed down at her shoes almost shyly. "Thanks." She admired his choice of clothing, approaching him closely and testing the fabric of his button-up with the tips of her fingers. "You already know that you clean up nicely." She loved that he was wearing a colorful shade of blue, although it was only for show. They needed to appear as normal and _human _as possible. "_Really nicely_," she stressed.

"It's still nice to hear." His voice had lowered significantly, her closeness finally beginning to affect him.

Witnessing the darkening of his eyes, Caroline's artificial heartbeat quickened. Her body found heat it wasn't supposed to have, a shaky breath leaving her lips, her chest heaving at a rate that had it gently brushing against his with every exhale.

Stefan was looking past her shoulder, trying to control his body's reaction. He didn't even think to react, to pull away or to end this exceedingly sexual yet still somehow awkward moment. The silence was yet again deafening, other than the rush of blood in his ears.

"Caroline," he groaned out huskily.

As her name fell from his lips, Caroline launched forward, lips against his and her arms winding around his neck. He reacted instantly, a bulky arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her against him. Her hot breath only pulled him deeper into the allure of her kissing. His tongue flicked against her lips, seeking entry that she was more than obliged to offer. His hand went up to smooth along the back of her neck and direct their mouths together, sliding sweet saliva and his cold tongue caressing hers, sucking her lower lip between his in perfect greed. He could hear Caroline squeak in shock as he gently bit down on her pouty bottom-lip. He smiled against her, pressing a chaste kiss on her one last time before he finally pulled away.

Caroline was completely frazzled, her hair somehow frizzed and her mouth smeared with pink sticky lip-gloss. Shell-shocked, she had no words or proper reaction, not even looking at hm.

Meanwhile, Stefan was rubbing the pink gloss off his mouth. It wasn't his color. As he cleared his face of the feminine product, he finally turned his attention to Caroline, who was clearly experiencing some kind of mental break.

"What… just _happened_!?" She was near shouting.

"I think we might've made out a little bit…"

"I…" She touched a hand to her lips. "How did you…?" Caroline shook her head rapidly, trying to clear the cloudiness in her brain. She didn't want to be the girl falling pathetically over the guy. It should be him. Instead, he was smirking at her as if he knew what he was doing to her. She wanted him to stop that. "I mean…" She had to think fast. "_We're gonna be late for the barbecue_!" She snatched the cookies off the table, storming out of the room with clunking heels.  
Finally alone, Stefan allowed himself to react properly. With a happy laugh, he looked into his reflection. "Outfit's not so bad." He knew he should dress like this more often; especially if it invoked that kind of response from her every time.

"_Are you coming or not!?_" Caroline called. Stefan detected her annoyance and immediately associated it with her anger at how flushed his kiss made her.

"Yes dear." Messing with her was going to be fun.

* * *

**A/N: That's it! Thank you for reading, please review and follow!**

**Out of curiosity, did anyone look up the meaning of the Latin from Magdalen's chant?**


	4. Summer Days & Nights to Follow

**A/N: Chapter 4 coming at you. I hope you're enjoying the story!**

* * *

Caroline firmly held onto the tray of baked goods, her cheeks huffed as she impatiently waited for someone to answer the front door. Stefan was beside her, and she could see from the corner of her eye that he was studying her. She refused to look in his direction, frustrated with his callous behavior to go as far as mocking her crush on him with a teasing kiss. That had to be what it was. After swelling her lips, he blatantly disregarded their intimate moment with nothing short of a chuckle and complete dismissal. Therefore, she wasn't going to talk to him until he at the very least explained his actions. He never seemed to notice her dwelling romantic feelings for him before, and Caroline now began to question how genuine that obliviousness was. If he'd always known, why would he choose now to do something about it? Or was he just reminding her of what she couldn't have?

"Caroline," Stefan tried.

"Nope," She kept her eyes trained on the door, her legs shaking anxiously.

"You have to ring the doorbell."

Caroline felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. During her entire inner monologue of ignoring Stefan whilst waiting for someone to invite them in; she'd completely forgotten to ring the doorbell in the first place. Sending a glare his way, she pushed the small button.

"I can carry that if you want," Stefan offered, gesturing toward the cookies. He knew she was fine, but he mostly just trying to get her talking. The attitude began a few short minutes ago and now she'd gone as far as to pretend he wasn't there. The only thing he could relate this outburst to was the kiss, but even then, he wasn't sure why it was entirely his fault. She kissed him back.

"I've got it," she answered sharply.

At that moment, the tall-white picket fence swung open to reveal the home's owner, Antony. He was walking beside another man, laughing as they clanked beers in celebration. He stopped short when he noticed Caroline.

"Neighbor!" He greeted Caroline, reaching to give Stefan a healthy handshake.

"You must be the boyfriend," Antony introduced. "I'm Antony, this is my house. What do you think?" Caroline and Stefan exchanged brief looks at the mention of the 'b' word, but let it slide when Antony didn't stop talking. "This is my friend; he's from out of town."

"Let me get those for you, darlin'." The friend took the cookies from her, giving them a healthy sniff. "I love homemade cookies. I'm gonna bring these out to everyone." He returned to the backyard, leaving Antony behind.

Caroline silently thanked Wal-Mart for their contribution to the party. It wasn't as if she lifted a finger of effort other than the ones she used to do her makeup.

"Your house is… really nice," Stefan attempted to make small-talk, answering his earlier question.

"Anyway, the party's in the back. Feel free to grab a beer from the cooler. Do you guys want burgers, hot dogs or sausages? I know I like all three."

"Uh, whatever's fine."

Within a few minutes, Stefan and Caroline were awkwardly situated on the porch with beers, watching everyone else have a good time. In her desperation to kill the silence, Caroline forgot she was giving Stefan the cold shoulder.

"I used to know how to do this," she said quietly. "Parties, social stuff. I was really good at meeting new people," she took a second to admire the group of friends that briefly resembled the old one they had. Before it was broken. "I guess that's part of…" as she finally looked into Stefan's eyes she trailed off open-endedly. She wasn't prepared for the intensity captured there.

"Let's sit down," he suggested, lightly touching her elbow to guide her to the obviously not-Wal-Mart bought lawn chairs. She didn't respond, but allowed him to move them.

There was a long, drawn out silence as Stefan tried to figure out what he wanted to say and how he could possibly say it without her finding a reason to get angry. "Can we talk?" It was the easiest place to start.

"I figured that's what we were about to do."

Again, he was at a loss for words. Her blue eyes were sparkling under the porch light, cheap fluorescents failing to take away her bright beauty. Her forehead crinkled at her left-brow, a shift between concerned and anxious. She didn't want to have this conversation.

"Why did you kiss me?" Caroline asked confrontationally. If they were going to do this, she wanted it over and done with.

"_Excuse_ me?" Stefan scoffed in disbelief, his mouth agape as he shook his head vigorously. "You kissed me first! You practically assaulted me."

Caroline's eyes uplifted as she pondered her heard. "No I didn't!" She poked his chest with a finger with accusation icing her tone. "_You _kissed _Me_."

"I hate to break it you Caroline, but you're wrong. You were standing close to me and it got a little…" He motioned his hands as he tried to find a word, "_warm_… and you jumped on me with your lips all .." he demonstrated her previous actions with pursed lips, mockingly kissing the air. " – and you wrapped your arms around my neck and practically begged me for it."

Caroline's mouth dropped at his choice of words. "Okay, now _I _need to be excusing." She blinked as she tried to figure out the verb she should be using. "Excused," She shook her hand in annoyance and clarified, "_Someone's_ doing the excusing here and you need to take a step back, buddy." Her eyes flared up. "Whether I kissed you first or didn't is not the question."

"Uhh," Stefan briefly wondered if she was even living in the same dimension. "Yes it was!" He all but shouted.

Caroline put up a hand, signaling that she wanted him to be silent. "_Irregardless_, you still kissed me back." She nodded her head at him, sure of herself on this one. "It wasn't just a little one either, it was a big _big_ 'the Notebook' type kiss."

Stefan couldn't help himself, "That good, huh?"

"Stefan," she growled in a warning. "I don't know why we kissed. I don't know why I kissed you or you kissed me or whatever, but it didn't mean anything. We're just friends and we're not together and we never will be!" Caroline was only trying to convince herself, and somehow Stefan ended up with a hurt look on his face in the process.

Having nothing else to say, Caroline adjusted her jacket and quickly made her escape from the porch, joining a couple of people standing by the grill and successfully introducing herself.

Stefan was annoyed and angry. She was just standing there with those strangers laughing and drinking without a care in the world. She was going to act as if she hadn't kissed him, as if she hadn't happily squeaked when his lips pressed back into hers, as if she wasn't disheveled and stumbling in the aftermath.

"You alright?" Antony took position beside Stefan, leaning against the porch's fencing. He did a double take as he realized his new neighbor was staring at the pretty blonde. "Having a spat?"

Stefan grunted in response. He didn't want to talk about his romantic life with a human who didn't know them in the slightest. He couldn't begin to understand their history together.

"David and I used to fight all the time. We just had to communicate better."

"You think we should talk."

"Absolutely. Just go right over there and tell her exactly what you're thinking. She can't read your mind and you can't read hers. Until you both start opening up you'll never fix anything." Antony took a swig of his beer.

"You know what, I will." Stefan felt adrenaline kick in as he sought her out with purpose. "Why does she get to keep it bottled up while I sit here miserable?"

"Well, don't make a scene!" Antony called to his retreating back, suddenly fearing he gave Stefan the wrong advice. With the heaviness of Stefan's stride, the determination in his brow, he was clearly going to do something Antony would regret.

Stefan joined the circle of people talking, smiling at them as they stepped aside to make room for him.

"Stefan," Caroline spoke, surprised. She didn't expect him to want to talk to her after the way she spoke to him. In all truthfulness, she felt really bad about it now.

"Oh, you're the other neighbor," A dark-haired woman shook his hand, the bun raveled in her head tossing as she moved. "Caroline's boyfriend, right?"

"Hmm…" Stefan's eyes linger on Caroline. "_No_…" He said firmly, gripping his drink tightly without breaking eye contact with her.

"Oh." The woman looked to her friends for help, but they were just as confused. "Antony told us you were an item."

"Nope," Stefan said nonchalantly, taking a step toward Caroline and looking down at her plainly. "We're _not_ together. Never will be," he repeated her earlier words before taking a step back to where he was previously, drinking his beer as if there wasn't a heavy awkwardness in the still air.

Caroline stared at Stefan guiltily, her eyes sinking. She was wrong to say those things in the awful way she did, but she was panicking then. Now, Stefan was intentionally trying to embarrass her by using her own words against her.

"Uhhh…." One of the men began, trying to soothe over the tension pathetically. "Who wants a Bloody Mary?" The silence broke as quickly as the drop of a nickel when a body was thrown across the fence, landing in a sick thud in the middle of the circle of socializing guests.

While everyone else screamed and yelled for ambulances and police, Stefan and Caroline took a closer look. He tilted the man's head to the side to reveal a deep vampire bite, bloody and purple. The man was clearly dead.

As suddenly as Stefan looked up from the body, Kane and a team of his vampires were there. His witch, Magdalen, stood at his side proudly while his vampire-friend Belle hung back with observing eyes.

"Kane," Stefan breathed as Caroline wrapped a hand around his arm, pulling him back from his kneeling position to stand at her side. They needed to be prepared. Whether it was to run or fight was the question. Caroline looked to Stefan, deciding she'd follow his lead on this one. Thankfully, the yard had cleared of the party-goers as they were now running down the street calling law enforcement.

"Stefan, _Caroline_."

Caroline did _not_ like the threatening way he said her name. Apparently, Stefan didn't either, as his eyes had narrowed dangerously.

"We told you we'd stay away from Charlie and we have." He clenched his fists, knowing full well this wasn't going to end with a corrected misunderstanding and a peaceful agreement.

"This isn't about Charlie."

"Than what's it about?" Stefan demanded gruffly.

"It's about _her_," Kane pointed directly at Caroline, a grin uplifting his pale mouth.

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**A/N: **Thank you as always for sticking with me and reading this fanfic. I'll try to update in a timely matter, review and follow if you wish!


	5. Here Comes The -

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! I've been sick, which makes concentrating a lot more difficult. I hope I can make it up to you with this chapter. Thank you so much for the generous reviews you took the time to leave(they inspire me so much) and for the follows. Even if you're just reading this and don't leave a comment, thank you for that too! **_**Steroline OTP.**_

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The last moment Caroline could recall vividly enough to be sure it wasn't a dream was the moment Stefan was running at her, shouting her name desperately as a pair of unfamiliar hands wrapped around her neck and twisted. Now she was struggling against a flat, hard surface. Cold steel pressed into the exposed skin on her back, a chill running haywire through her body.

She couldn't move, buckled into place by metal cuffs. Lifting her head to take a look at her surroundings, she was disappointed to see that the only illuminated spot in the room was the metal table she lay on, the rest shadowed in darkness. It was then that she noticed her change of attire, what was once a simple jacket and casual dress replaced by a cream-colored gown fitted perfectly over her body, fine silk shrouded by her feet and spilling over the sides of the table. Her dress dipped low in the back, leaving the 'V' of her back frozen against the icy-feeling platform. Her breasts fit snugly into the bustier fitted underneath the top layer of the dress.

Caroline briefly wondered who dressed her, focused on that disturbing thought until she finally asked herself why she was wearing it. What could they possibly need her to be in a gown for? Discomfort crept through her tense bones, pulling at the cuffs on her wrists to no avail, whimpering and tossing her head back and forth.

Panic finally struck when she remembered her dearest friend. It was unlikely that he managed to get away after they snapped her neck, as running wasn't something he would do where someone he cared about was involved. The most "Stefan" scenario was that he fought back and lost. She could only hope that he hadn't lost his life in the struggle.

The sound of scraping metal against concrete flooring brought her attention back to reality, light from the hall illuminating the shadow entering the still room. Caroline squinted, the sudden brightness too much for her adjusted eyes.

"It's almost time." It was Belle, an ally of Kane's. Caroline didn't know how close they were or what this woman's intentions were, but if she was working with Kane than she probably wasn't here to break her out.

"Let me out of here!" Caroline demanded, trying her best to move into a sitting position to keep her eyes trained on the other vampire.

"I can't do that, I'm sorry," She genuinely appeared to feel guilty. "We need you for the ritual."

"What ritual!?" Caroline's nails dug into her palm, her level of anxiety only raising as Belle's cryptic words continued.

"Tonight is the Rising. Our master will return to the Earthly plane for his bride."

"His _bride_?" She whispered uncertainly, watching Belle's expression transform to one with a smile that almost matched Kane's twisted one. Confirming her question, Caroline let her head drop backwards against the table with a _clunk_. "That's just perfect."

* * *

The table constraining Caroline had been tilted upwards and before she could process what was happening Belle had wheeled her into an entirely different room with a completely different feel. It looked almost like a living room, set with couches, a glass coffee table littered with cups of wine and… a pit of wet sand in the middle. She wasn't sure if she was still confused from the vertigo she got from having her neck snapped earlier, but as far as she could tell it wasn't normal to have a sandpit inside your home.

There were formally dressed vampires and witches alike positioned around the room, all completely silent and all staring at her with studying faces, scanning her body and appearance with judgment written in their eyes. A small group of them sat on the couch, turning their heads away from the fireplace to watch her.

A young child made the first movement in the quiet room, running towards a female vampire and wrapping her arms around her hips. "Mummy is that the bride?" The little British girl asked, tugging on the hem of her dress.

"Quiet, Amily," her mother scolded, forcing her daughter to release her dress.

Caroline's heart pounded in her ears, fear swelling in her belly and causing a heavy ache in her chest. The room seemed smaller filled with so many people, so many people looking at _her_.

"Caroline," a weak voice choked from somewhere behind her.

She twisted her head as far as the table would allow, the pace of her heart and the rate of her breathing only quickening as she saw who it was. Stefan was being held by two burly men, making a poor effort to fight back. She immediately knew they'd done something to him.

"Stefan!" She called, fearing for her friend.

He was thrown to the floor in front of her like a ragdoll. Kane's witch, Magdalen, moved to stand before Stefan, smiling down at him in a way that suggested she enjoyed his pain.

"Any slight movement and you'll feel excruciating pain." She touched a hand to his forehead, mumbling a few words to herself to seal the spell. "I suggest you stay as still as possible."

Stefan tested the magic with a flex of a finger, and suddenly he felt it breaking and twisting painfully, causing his body to seize and spreading the area his hurting was inflicted upon.

"Stop!" Caroline screamed, her eyes wet with tears. "Please stop!"

He continued to jerk until he finally managed to force his body still, his entire form shaking from the trauma of the ordeal. His mouth was dropped open, inhaling large swallows of air as if he'd been deprived of it until now.

"Stefan," Caroline cried, mascara freely running down her smudged cheeks. The tips of her fingers were scraping against the table in her stress, leaving her hands pink and breaking the edge of her nail's plate, blood spotting beneath its bed.

He wanted to answer her, to tell her he was okay. He kept his head hung and lips quiet with the knowledge of the torture he'd be forced to endure if he tried. Stefan didn't even know why they were here. He hadn't even been able to see if Caroline was alright when he was shoved in the room. He'd seen the blonde hair peeking from above the table and then suddenly was swallowing the carpet and being threatened by a witch. At least he could hear her voice, and that offered some kind of comfort, although minimal.

Now, he was wondering why there was a pit of sand in the middle of the room.

Kane entered the room with a happy jump in his step. He nodded at his gathered friends, his eyes lighting up when they landed on Caroline. He glided to a stop when he saw the sandpit.

"What the hell is this?" He directed at Magdalen with a growl.

"It-It's for the ritual. We need it."

"Yes I _know_ what it is." He stepped around it to get closer to the witch, his shoulders lifted threateningly. She reacted with instinct, taking a shaky step back. "Why is it so damn huge? It only needs to be large enough for the bride and Priestley to fit. How much did this thing cost?"

"1300, but I will completely pay you back," Magdalen promised shakily.

"Oh please," Kane offhandedly waved his arm. "The rising of Priestley has no price."

Magdalen was confused as he walked away in nonchalance, but she did not question his abrupt change in demeanor. It would only bring back his anger with a fire; she knew what his temper was like. It was nothing compared to what they would soon face, but it would be worth it.

"When will we start?" Belle approached her friend carefully.

"At the first strike of midnight," his eyes wandered to the round clock overhanging the fireplace. "We're minutes away. Make the preparations!" As soon as he finished commanding his friends and workers, the witches began grabbing candles and setting them up around the sandpit, lighting them hurriedly. A vampire collected two wooden bowls and placed them beside the sandpit, where Stefan sat on the floor making no movement.

Kane made his way toward Caroline, stopping once he reached her. "I don't know why you're so frightened. You just learned that you're special."

"Special? I don't even know what's going on!" She shouted, wild confusion mixed with panic blending in her eyes and causing a quiver in her voice.

"Then I'll explain it to you," he jerked his head back to burn his eyes into the back of Stefan's head. "Both of you." He snapped his fingers at Magdalen. "Undo the spell on Stefan."

"Are you-Are you sure?" She didn't see the logic in that idea. "He'll fight us."

"No he won't," Kane spoke with certainty. He moved to kneel next to Stefan. "If he fights back, we'll kill him." His hand shot out to wrap around Stefan's forearm, sharp nails digging into his pale flesh. He's of no use to us, and the only reason he's still alive is out of courtesy to the bride. We need her to cooperate as much as possible." As he spoke, he only pressed his nails further into Stefan's skin, drawing blood. Stefan resisted the pain, closing his eyes tightly. "Do you understand that, Caroline?"

Her eyes spoke a thousand words she couldn't say. She wanted to spit in his face, to deny him anything he wanted from her in the most insulting way possible. But, she couldn't. Not where Stefan was concerned. "Yes," she gritted out between locked teeth.

Kane only took a small moment to smile smugly at the young vampire, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes before he commanded Magdalen to, "Do it."

She rolled up her sleeves and complied, muttering a few Latin words to herself before touching her fingertips to Stefan's forehead. She pulled her hand away as quickly as it was placed and firmly told them, "It's done."

Stefan tested his limits by flexing his fingers, similarly to how he had before. When there was no rush of agony, he pushed off his hands to fully stand.

"Remember Stefan, you test us and I'll put you so far underground." He was standing close to Stefan to intimidate him, glowering over him dangerously.

"Tell us why you need Caroline."

"Right to business then," He clapped his hands together moving back towards Caroline to smack a hand on the steel of the table beside her head, causing her to jump in surprise. She thought he was going to hit her, and he'd done that on purpose.

Stefan considered the vampire threatening them before finally settling his eyes on Caroline. He immediately noticed the silky golden gown gracefully draping her body. They made her change her clothing? Stefan rolled his eyes. _Religious types._

"There's an ancient scroll known as 'the anima text'. It foretells that a female bringer of blood, a vampire, would come to be that carries Priestley's mark. And you have it."

"And for those of us that don't speak cryptic jerk that means…?" Caroline was pissed off and rightfully so. She was snatched from her neighbor's backyard, had her neck snapped, her clothing changed by what was probably some pervy vampire, and was now having both she and her annoying but gorgeous best friend be threatened by a less than threatening "wannabe" badass vampire. If she didn't get some real answers really quickly, she was going to lose her mind.

"Basically, you're destined to not only bring back our master, but marry him. We're going to put you in the sandpit and cut you with knives until your blood fills two bowls. Then we're going to do a magic ritual that brings him back," he smirks as he finishes, "and then you marry him."

"Okay _hold on_, your _master_?" Caroline shouted, demanding more answers.

Stefan stood quietly as he absorbed all of this new information, but so far he was _not _liking it. His expression was a clear giveaway, his lips inverted into a thin line and his eyes dark as he focused on Kane's smug retorts and half-assed attempts at giving them some actual answers.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?" Kane leaned against the steel of the table, moving in closely to Caroline until the breath between his lips touched hers when he spoke. "We're from another dimension."

* * *

**A/N: That's the end of the chapter. I'll try to get the next one out quickly as an apology for taking so long to get this one out.**

**I can tell I did a pretty poor job with making Kane seem threatening, but he**

**honestly doesn't really **_**need**_** to be. He's just a bit of an obstacle and a way **

**to introduce the real threat in an "evil in a can" tropey kind of way. But**

**now that you know, I guess it isn't a trope anymore.**

**Hint about the sandpit: It's not just a sandpit.**


	6. Your Average Ritual

**A/N: Hurray, a quick update! Don't get used to it. Thank you for your kind reviews in the last chapter, special shout-out to Steroccola for leaving a sweet comment on my tumblr as well as clairegleek and the Guest commenter for leaving a review in my last chapter.**

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"Another dimension," Caroline repeated Kane's words back to him, her tongue carefully running over each vowel as she tried to understand what that meant. "like another reality?" It sounded more like a statement than question, but her eyes still questioned his.

"I could stand here and explain parallel universes and shifts in reality to you, but then we'd miss the rising and would have to wait for the next midnight to come around." He gestured to the people in the room. "As you can see, we planned for tonight."

"You're summoning some creature from another dimension!? That's what this is about?"

"You still don't get it, little girl." Kane grunted in frustration, running his callous fingers over his scruffy facial hair in thought. "Everyone in this room, other than you two, is from another dimension, another planet called 'KreiLoa'." He looked away from her confusion, lost in his own memories as he explained.

Stefan exchanged glances with the blonde, matching astonishment captured in both sets of eyes.

"Many years ago there was a war among two planets in that dimension. One of those planets was the one we fare from, KreiLoa, and this war ended with a…a bomb. It caused a collapse of civilization and a rift in time, a hole in the universe. Many of our people were thrown through these rips, _these portals_ because of the paranormal surge caused by the bomb… And we ended up here in your dimension, on your planet. The king of our planet, our master Priestley is looking to rebuild the society we once were but he cannot do it in our home dimension and he needs our help."

"What does any of that have to do with Caroline?" Stefan snapped, eager for Kane to get to the point. He had hoped by explaining his story, Kane would have answered any and all questions regarding this ritual and the purpose of Caroline marrying some _thing_ from some other universe. Instead, he found himself further slipping out of his sanity and any logic he previously thought he knew about the world was sucked in a drain. He had never even considered the possibility of other dimensions, other creatures and beings he didn't understand. They were supposed to be myths. _Just like werewolves_, Stefan grumbled to himself, remembering a time where he didn't believe those were real either.

"Do you know what a prophecy is?" Kane skewered Stefan with a harsh stare, angry with him for his sharp interruption. "It's a foretelling, a prediction of something that's to come. But it isn't uncertain, it's definite. It's something that was written into destiny and meant to take place, something ordered to come to be by something much higher and more powerful than you and I." He glanced upwards to emphasize his point.

"You're just a religious fanatic, for all we know none of this is even real!" Kane was offended by Caroline's remark, clenching his fists instinctively. "If you're from another _universe_ why are you and your people vampires?"

"We were bound to the physical laws of this plane. This _human _form that we took on would be unable to contain the power we harness in our own world. We're much stronger in our own world." He smirked, a glint of smugness in his sharp eyes. Everything he said came out as smooth as a sugar coated lie, making it almost impossible to distinguish his deception from the truth. "The witches that worship Priestley are also meant to have more magic, but as it is for us it is for them."

"Kane," Magdalen called. "It's time."

"Prep her," Kane waved his hand toward Caroline.

"Whoa," Stefan made a quick move to stand in front of his shackled friend, "for what?"

Kane sighed gruffly, "What language am I speaking here?" He adjusted his coat, flattening his large hands over the leathery surface. "I told you, Caroline is _destined, prophesied, _and _meant_ to wed Priestley. Because she carries his mark, his _claim_…her blood can be used to bring him to this dimension, where he can arise as the king once more. We will take this world with force."

"I'm sorry, you want to use me to take over the world?" Caroline squeaked, disbelief written across her face. She didn't believe it, couldn't believe it. There was no way they held that much power, and there was no way any of this was true. She didn't have to worry about marrying some disgusting creature from another universe because it wasn't going to happen. "I get that you people are clearly way _way_ into your religion and all that, but don't you think you're taking it a bit too far? Honoring what you believe in, sure that's cool. Sacrificing an innocent vampire to a make believe king by throwing her in a pit of sand? _Too far_."

Stefan squinted his eyes tightly, anticipating the backlash Kane would send by throwing a fist at him and tossing Caroline headfirst into the sandpit. Instead of reacting with violence, Kane sucked his lower lip into his mouth and chuckled under his breath.

"I'm going to enjoy watching my king violate you."

Much to Caroline's surprise, Stefan was the first to react using his clenched hand. He lunged at Kane with a growl, veins flattening and swirling beneath his eyes in a way that could only be achieved through vampirism.

The red mist of anger settled the moment Kane's words left his mouth, and Stefan couldn't help himself. Logically, he knew he couldn't take him. He knew that in just a couple of seconds he'd be writhing on the floor in agony because of Kane's witch friend who had no choice but to protect the man in charge of bringing back their master. In that second, that small seemingly meaningless second, Stefan didn't even care. If he was going to threaten Caroline, to suggest anything that might harm her, he was going to end it now.

Stefan landed backwards on his ass, the witch telekinetically sending him flying away from Kane before he was able to land more than a couple of blows to his midsection. He briefly heard the sound of Caroline shouting his name, her voice echoing in his ears as the pain radiated through his chest and sprouted outwards to ring in his ears. "_Stefan!_" She parroted in his ear.

Magdalen curled her fingertips, the magical energy flowering through her arm and connecting with Stefan. Once Kane was back on his feet, she temporarily released him from her compulsion.

"We're running out of time!" Kane roared at his servants, eyes lingering on Stefan. "Get her in the pit _NOW_!"

The vampires were quick to oblige, unsnapping her shackles from the upturned table and tossing it aside, leaving her wrists bound behind her. That didn't stop her from struggling, tossing herself against the woman on her right. The vampire twisted her upper arm and tugged tightly. "Stop moving or I'll break your arm, you little bitch." As Caroline was walked to the pit of sunken in wet sand, the vampire whispered one last thing into her ear, "You don't deserve this gift."

Caroline wanted to scoff at her, to plunge a stake in her heart and walk away. Instead she stood quietly, biting her tongue until she tasted blood in her mouth. This wasn't a gift.

"Step down," instructed the other vampire, shoving her in the direction of the pit.

Caroline sighed, offering one last glance to Stefan, who was lying on his stomach with his arms outstretched to her, as if he could almost reach her. There was worry in his eyes, in the way he parted his lips, the wrinkle in his forehead as his brows lowered. Praying she was right to think them crazy, to think this was all a lie, she took her first step into the gook. The sand melted in around her right foot, sticking to her instantly and squishing up her leg as it swallowed it whole. The vampires pushed at her shoulders, forcing her to take another step at their persistent prodding.

Her once beautiful gown was covered in sticky brown sand as she finished entering the deep pit, now waist deep. Panic took over as she realized what was happening, feeling herself sink deeper.

"Is this quick sand?" A quiver shook her in her question, a lump in her throat.

"I think some people call it that," Kane said with a shrug, an evil smile upturning his lips. "Just don't struggle and you'll be fine long enough for us to finish the ritual. Then we'll pull you out."

Two witches approached quietly, each grabbing for one of Caroline's chained hands, leaving her no choice but to comply. They both held small blades, inscriptions of snakes molded into the bolster.

"Blood of the destined, blood of the marked," they chanted in unison, each girl collectively cutting into Caroline's wrists with their knives.

Caroline howled in pain, tears springing to her eyes at the sudden cutting of nerves and extreme loss of blood that came with it. She felt her wrists be leaned against the wooden bowls beside the pit, the blood dripping into the empty pockets.

"Caroline!" Stefan struggled against Magdalen's magic, wriggling to free himself of the spell that bound him to his spot on the floor. "Leave her alone!" Sweat dripped from his hairline, anguish drawn in his expression as he gritted his teeth together, feeling her pain as he watched the blood gather by her fingertips and fall hopelessly into the bowl. He knew her blood loss wouldn't kill her, but it sure as hell hurt her, and anything that hurt her hurt him. _No_, he thought as he watched her suffer. This was killing _him_.

"Blood of the destined, blood of the marked," they chanted, following up their words with verses in Latin, words Caroline didn't understand. She didn't know if she wanted to. Even if she knew Latin, it wasn't possible to focus on anything other than the cutting pain in her arms. It sounded shrill in her ears, the scraping of sharp metal against sensitive skin, like the razor she took to her own skin the time she was compelled.

Eventually, when she felt she could take no more of their persistent tearing into the same spots again and again, they pulled away, allowing her wounds to heal. Together, the witches poured the blood into the sand in front of Caroline.

It melted and swirled, twisting together in a way only magic could provide. One streak of red blood met another, curling and circling until a small whirlpool of blood was swishing before their eyes, tossing Caroline's hair in the wind that was suddenly created by the quick motions of flipping sand and blood. The chandelier hanging in the middle of the room's lights flickered, a shiver running up Caroline's arms and back down her spine, prickled goose bumps causing her hair to stand on end.

"Caroline!" Stefan was somehow still able to shout her name, focused on the swirling rush of sand before his eyes.

In the midst of it all, a head submerged from the sinking sand, completely covered in it, hiding his face and body from their view. Slowly he rose, higher and higher until he was entirely freed from the substance, pulling himself out of the pit of sand and collapsing on the carpet in exhaustion. The dirt stuck to the fibers, his hands pressed to the floor as he heaved, spitting large amounts of mud and dirt from his lungs and onto the floor.

Kane held a hand up, keeping everyone silent and several steps back. Priestley needed his space, he needed to adjust after being tossed through dimensions as he just was. His hair was sopping wet and dirty, his face still unseen because of the brush of sand and blood obscuring it from truly being seen. His nails dug into the carpet, and his head lifted upwards to observe the crowd, all eyes on him.

"Isn't someone going to help me up?" He rasped dryly, a sarcastic twinge lacing through his very normal sounding voice. A wide grin overtook his face, similar to one of the Cheshire cat, exposing pearly white teeth and less than welcoming pair of black eyes.

"Master…" The room bowed.

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**A/N: Okay, so this chapter was largely just explaining Kane's situation and who Priestley is. I know it isn't very action-packed and I'm sorry for that, but I felt like it was important to establish the who's and the why's. If you have any questions feel free to ask, but not everything has been entirely explained just yet.**

**I know this update was fast, but don't expect every chapter to keep coming in like this, as I'm usually a pretty slow updater. The comments I got from the last chapter inspired me to finish this one quickly, and there's a storm raging outside right now which is a large part of what gets me writing. Unfortunately, storms don't happen every day.**


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